In Gods' Good Time
by C V Ford
Summary: Even with 30 years and and as many pounds gone, he still didn't fit the demographic. He wasn't the right age. He wasn't even Asian let alone Japanese! What and where was this place? Why was he here ... AND WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH THOSE CRAZY KIDS WITH THE GUNS?
1. Chapter 1

In Gods' Good Time

by

C V Ford

* * *

Prologue: Alright ... Good Night ...

Submitted For Your Approval ...

Another days' work over, Jack Duffy trudged to the mailbox outside his apartment house door. No bills or anything else, he proceeded, pausing only to look back at the old Ford parked out front. Seeing the vehicles' lights were STILL off , he cursed inwardly over his mild obsessive/compulsive affliction. Past the washing machine and up to #3, moving slowly through the dark.

"Gonna' have to replace that bulb," he thought. "Landlord doesn't seem to want to."

Fumbling in the gloom, he unlocked the door and stumbling in, kicked over something small in the dark. Something making a cardboard sound. Could it be ... ?

Setting down his satchel and hitting the light switch, he exulted, "yes!"

His neighbor across the hall must have moved the package from outside and put it at his door. He'd have to thank him.

Picking it up, he smiled. His birthday present to himself had arrived a couple days earlier than expected. Package torn open, he was quite pleased with what met his eyes. Three anime, including Evangelion 4.44 and Kiss Me Deadly, the 1955 Mike Hammer film he made a special point to have. Yeah! Micky Spillane and anime. Quite a combo. Va va voom Mikey! Pow!

Throwing a hasty meal and a Coke together, he sat for a viewing. In no mood for watching anime at that moment, he settled on the older black and white movie instead. Disc popped in the machine he started chewing on chicken and rice as the film played.

Kiss Me Deadly was one of the weirder filme noir. Ralph Meeker as Mike Hammer, two fisted PI hot on the trail of vengeance and "the great whatsit". Whatever the "thing" was, he would find it ... Everyone else to die in trying.

It had been a fairly long day and though Jack, not one to doze off in the middle of a flick, did so.

Nodding off he felt a brief, sharp pain in his chest ... and ... "slept".

xxxxx

As if someone had shaken him, he suddenly came awake. A quick glance around assured he was the only one there. Glancing at the screen, he noted he had hardly slept at all. The scene of Hammers' mechanic friend, Nick, removing a sizable pipe bomb from his '54 'Vette still going ... yet ... sunlight poured in through the blinds. Daytime?

Crazy. He didn't recall the disc having a continuous play option, yet the same scene as it was when he fell asleep(?) a moment ago. How ...?

He scanned about again. Everything OK except ... The curtains, door and frames were different. More new, modern in appearance. This couldn't ...

Moving to a window he drew the blinds and looked out over the daylit landscape ... His jaw dropped.

"My car!? For that matter, where's the street!? ... Where ...

"WHERE THE HELL'S CENTRAL OHIO!?"

xxxxx

Chapter 1: Incidental Occidental

Still holding the blind cord, Jack backed away from the window, panicing in place. He put no stock in "When you're worried and in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout." No "pinball panic". Stay in place ... get it out of your system ... clear your head ... THINK! In a surprisingly short moment he calmed down and decided on action.

He scanned the outside, alien landscape still there. A paved stretch, not much more than a bike path lay in front of the building. Beyond, a stand of trees and even farther, a set of buildings, more modern than the quaint older section of Westerville, Ohio he resided in.

First the obvious. He tried the phone, dialing one number after the other. Work, police, fire, no result but dead silence after. Looking up he noticed an official looking manila envelope on the living room table. Gingerly opening it he spilled the contents: A lanyard ID card, what looked to be a credit/debit card, a "map" of some kind, something looking like a schedule and ... a letter. Info!

Checking the letter first was a real eye opener. In a few paragraphs he was welcomed to the maintenance staff of a place called ... Heavens' Academy (!?) and if he would be so thoughtful as to peruse the schedule and other materials (The map being that of the school grounds.) within ...

"Don't remember applying," he thought wryly.

The letterhead brought him up sharply. He couldn't read the foreign print/alphabetics but he knew what type it was. Kanji? Yes. He could at least tell it was of the Japanese type what with the curly-ques and "tails" they seemed to prefer. Other "unreadable" script he guessed to be of their two phonetic alphabets. At least the body of the intro was in the "Romanji" thus English. Checking his watch and wall calender against the schedule, he noted he had a few days before reporting to "work". More than plenty of time to clear up this mess and get his sorry butt back home. No way he was going to work for a bunch of foriegners he never met before and certainly not involuntarily. No ... straighten this out and "get the hell outta' Dodge".

Striding over to his satchel near the desk, he opened the bag and drew out the Colt 1991 A-1 .45 ACP. in a nylon "hip hugger" holster. Press-checking the chamber, he put the pistol in "condition one" ("Cocked & locked". Hammer back, safety on as God and John Moses Browning intended.). He looped the holster on his belt, slipping the pistol in. Checking the closet a few feet away, Jack twirled the combination on the small gun safe within. A sigh of relief left him as he noted the rest of his modest collection still there. Going to the "bedroom" closet (As he slept in a sleeping bag in the living room, bed being bad on the back, he used the space for his computers and video collection. His "toy room" as it were.) he opened the fireproof metal "footlocker" seeing the various calibers of ammo present.

Donning a light jacket he moved back to the satchel for a double mag pouch for the .45, placing it in the left pocket. As a last touch he reached in the bag and withdrew the tiny NAA .22 lr mini-revolver, stuffing it in his right jeans pocket. Habits picked up when working at a combination gun store/pistol range some years back. With the Buck lockblade snugged next to his wallet, he felt prep complete.

A thought hit him. Pulling out the wallet, he checked the contents. Along with the eleven dollars in cash (Now DAT be ghetto!) and drivers license, were the usual ancilliary ID: NRA membership card, Ohio concealed carry permit, lottery tix, Wal-Mart gift card, various business cards, old ticket stub to Atlas Shrugged Pt. 3, etc.

"I'm still me at least," declaring to himself as he hitched up his pants. Why were they so loose?

He thought differently about his identity as he checked himself in the bathrooms' full length mirror, getting his second shock of the day.

The man staring back was not him ... or rather, not the same him.

Quickly backing away he hit the sink, sharp pain up his back doing more than a triple take.

"My ... my ... GOD! ... Impossible!"

It was still him. The same James B. Duffy he had known ... Thirty years before.

The hair wasn't even half as gray (He started "looking like a German shepard" in his mid-twenties.). Mouth hanging open in disbelief, he noticed something else and turned to the sink mirror for closer inspection, working fingers and tongue. ALL his teeth were there! No chips or fillings and only a hint of yellow. A perfect set!

Turning back to the full length, he gave himself the once over more than once. Creeping apprehension giving way to amazement. Stepping back he noticed other things. The not so faint back pain of several years was missing. Knees didn't ache and pressures on kidneys and gall bladder gone (No stones?).

He wasn't almost 60 anymore! Almost 30 years and and as many pounds ... gone! Staring back was a physical self he hadn't known since his early thirties.

Jack wasn't sure wether to thank whoever was responsible or go completely Micky Spillane on his posterior ... If he could find him/them. As it was, he had just been yanked out of his life and into another. As much as he felt it, he had a nagging doubt it wasn't his any more. Would he have wanted to "go back" as good as he felt right now? All the same, he had to find out what was going on.

Grabbing clipboard, notebook, pens, and the "map", he donned the lanyard ID and was about out the door when a thought struck him. Holding the Colt close to his side he went to the side of the door passing the clipboard over the peep lense. No shots fired through or anyone trying to bust in, he unlocked and slowly opened the door. Cautiously peering out, he scanned the hallway.

Instead of a short passage with #2 door opposite, a large long hallway, five doors to the side (His own with the number 30.), greeted his eyes. He glanced back and forth noting the difference between the modern hall in contrast to the archaic, older house interior of his apartment.

Gingerly stepping into the hall he checked his NEW apartment keys already on the ring with his old set. He still had his car keys! He missed that old Ford already. Somehow, he knew it wasn't somewhere outside waiting for him. Someone had gone to a LOT of trouble to mindscrew with him ... Why?

The sound of a door opening prompted him to look over the head of the stairs. A short Asian man in grey work coveralls ascending. Jack quickly holstered the pistol and adjusted the jacket. No sense in spooking a "fellow worker". Locking the door, he descended the steps, saying "hello" as he passed. The short man glanced at him, smiling with an "ohayo" in return.

Duffy noted the man looked neither surprised nor distressed on seeing him. Showed little emotion.

Out the door, he checked his location with the map. A paved wide path off to the right would take him through a stand of trees to his "time clock" in a small building behind "Classroom Building A".

Quiet. A glance at his watch told him a few minutes til 8 AM. Coming out of the trees Jack noticed the gym building on his right with building A left. A little more to the left he found the smaller building behind the larger, a twin lidded incinerator next to it. The double garage doors revealed a small pickup, a couple of lawn tractors and a single co-worker greeting him.

"You must be the new guy", accompanied by a small bow.

English?

"Uh ... yeah. Just got here. (Yeah! Right!) Got a few days before reporting in, thought I'd check things out ... Get a 'lay of the land' so to speak."

"Feel free," the thin Asian fellow returned now shaking hands.

As they talked of his future (Fat chance! He was leaving and SOON!) duties, Jack at once noticed something extremely odd. Though he heard Kaji (His name.) speaking English, the mans' lip movements didn't match. Like a bad dub of a foriegn film. Amazement and relief hit him at once. The language hurdle at least was one headache out of the way.

"Guess 'it' only works with the spoken word," he thought. "Can't read the 'squiggles' though."

Kaji went on about his future duties. Not much different than what he was used to at Otterbein College. Grounds keeping, light maintenance, etc. Nice but Jack wanted real info.

"At the risk of showing my ignorance, what kind of school is this and (More importantly!) where is it located?"

"High School, grades 9 - 12. As for where it is ... it's ... ," Kaji looked absently into the distance as if trying to process an esoteric concept that was beyond him. "It's ... always been ... uh ... here ..."

A chill went up Duffys' spine. The guy seemed intelligent enough ... yet ... it was if ... his mind seized up over such a simple question.

"Any questions like that, I guess you can get answers at admin in Class Building B. Offices open before nine."

"Thanks. I'll do that. I've some time left so I'll just look around."

"Good talking with you. Look forward to working with you."

Shaking his head, Jack walked down the side steps of Class A while scrutinizing B. He recognized the type from his viewing of several of the anime in his vid collection. Older, "classical" Japanese school building. "L" shape with "clock tower" at the middle. Must have been the main when the campus first started.

A, a more modern brick and glass structure was actually three parallel buildings of three floors each, joined by enclosed walkways at both sides. In the hopes of acclimating himself (Though hopefully not for long!) and to kill time, he entered A and started checking out the vending machines in the hall.

"At least the ones not in English have 'pitchers' on 'em," he thought. "let's see ... Key Coffee ... what's this slop? At least it's not UCC ... would probably have LCL in it. Good God ... I can joke at a time like this. Bolvic? ... Someone trying to avoid copyright violation? ... Not a Coke in sight ... How ... Barbaric!"

"Oh m' God!"

Drawing himself upright, he turned towards the source of the exclamation.

"This is no time to get lost in thought," inwardly chiding himself. "You're on 'enemy territory'. Look sharp!"

Three girls, in characteristic "sailor fuku" school uniforms gawked at him in amazed dumbfoundedness. Something Jack found most off-putting.

Duffy puzzled, "the guy on the apartment stair and Kaji didn't react like this, why ..."

Composing himself he replied, "good morning ladies." Glancing at his watch he decided to proceed to his next goal.

"Excuse me," he said walking past. He left the building walking diagonally past the steps leading down to the lower campus for another quick look at Class B.

xxxxx

The three girls watched open mouthed as the foriegner left. Two then looked to the twin poneytailed "blonde" firing off fast questions.

"How did he ...?

"Who ... and what's he ...?

"Hold it!" The 'blonde' exclaimed. "I'm on it!"

Bringing her left hand to her ear, she deftly pressed the transmit button to the wireless mic she wore at all times.

"Yeah?" Firm voice on the other end.

"Yuri!"

"Yeah Yusa, what's up?"

"You're not gonna' believe what just walked past us in Class A!"

"Say again?"

"A foreigner ... gaijin! Old one too. He's heading out way past the steps to the athletic field. You can just catch him if you look out the window!"

Yuri Nakamura went to classes as little as possible. She had no intention on "graduating", knowing what that meant, so no point attending. When not planning/executing Front operations, she was content to sit at the center of the "web". That center being the comandeered principles' office to the front and left atop Class B: Unofficially known as Anti-Angel Strategy Headquarters/Safe and Sound. The only place on campus safe from ... HER. Radio in hand she took in Yusas' terse report.

"Say what?" That can't ... just a sec ... Noda!? ... What's with you?"

The only other in the office, Noda, at that moment gaping out a side window to the front of Class A, gestulating wildly. So amazed, he had dropped his halberd. Rushing past the deskbound Yuri, he stopped at the front window and resumed his state of agitation.

Yuri also took to the front window, snatching the pair of 57mm binoculars off the desk. Raising it to her eyes, she focused on the out of place dark jacketed figure walking along the low wall separating upper from lower campus. It was as Yusa said and Noda agitating.

"How in the world ..."

She took the binocs from her eyes, blinked twice and peered through them again.

"God!?"

To be continued ...

xxxxx

Note(s) to the reader:

This is my first attempt at a multi chapter fanfic. In fact, it's my first fanfic ever. While working on this the past THREE years, I branched off into short story/one shots. All my 30 plus stories on this site came long after I started this one.

I have 16 chapters done. It may take up to another 16+ to complete. The next five after this one will be posted in weekly intervals. The rest, one every two weeks or so.

I refrained from posting this as I wanted to finish first. Fanfiction dot Net is littered with the corpses of multi chapter stories that will never get done. I hope this won't be one of them.

As the worst stories are the ones not told and rather than "hiding my candle under a bushel", I decided to post it.

This is where you, the readers, come in. Even though everything is pretty much "locked in" up to chapter 16, if you have ANY thoughts or ideas, please PM me with them. I'll give even the more outlandish a read as they might get my gray matter moving again.

Some things to keep in mind.

1. The story is OC centric.

2. The OC will be "shipped" later in the story with another OC more his own age. We're not talking Mr. Kimura here.

3. This is more a drama (With some comedic touches.) than an actioner.

4. The story is a pre-Otanashi one of events before that characters' arrival.

So saying, I hope you have as much fun reading this as I of writing it. Until then ...

* * *

Storyline and original characters (only) copyright © 5-1-14 C V Ford

Disclaimer: The preceding is a NON-PROFIT work of fan fiction for entertainment purposes only. I make no claim to ownership of the names/characters, places, & events mentioned in this work that are the intellectual properties of others. They are the sole properties of their respective owners. Please, by all means support the owners of such properties in the purchase & enjoyment of their works.


	2. Chapter 2

In Gods' Good Time

by

C V Ford

* * *

Chapter 2: Into the Matrix

Passing out into the light, Jack noticed the girls exclamations of concern to one another.

"Well," he thought. "'Secret's out ... can't be helped. Couldn't stay holed up in the apartment for a week, could I?"

He sauntered over past the steps looking "southward" on the lower campus. Field houses, athletic field, ball park, soccer field, tennis courts ... It was a big place.

"If I'm stuck here there's a lot of reconnoitering to do. Gonna' take some time. Definitely more than a week and I've NO intention of being here THAT long. Next plane out for me."

He turned to Class B.

"Might as well see the dean ... er ... principal. He'll know what's going on. Get him to let me use the phone ... Or at least give me some numbers to call around here ... Nearest U.S. Consulate'd be good ..."

Walking towards B, he scanned the structure. Large parking lot, no vehicles ... Odd. Yet professionally dressed folks as well as students entering/leaving, most heading to A and what he assumed Class C across the bridge.

Glancing up and down he noticed something strange with one of the third story windows in the extended "west" wing. Someone watching him? Binoculars?

xxxxx

Yuri quickly stepped back. The foreigner was looking straight at her!

"Noda! Get away from the window!"

"Wha ...?"

"Get back! Get in the shadows!"

The young man complied.

"Did he see me?" She asked herself. "And could he ... No! Couldn't be HIM. Not ... GOD! Not even Asian let alone Japanese. Why would a European be here, an old one at that? Has to be at least 30 ... European ... Might be worse ... American? Oh ... God!"

"No ... not God," she said aloud.

"God?" Noda looked pale. "You don't think ...

"No! Definitely NOT Him!"

"So ... who ... think he's coming up here?"

"Has to. At least half the arrivals go to admin first thing for answers."

"Heading for this building all right!"

"He could read the directory, come up and ... Noda! Get ready!"

The young man dashed across the room. Snatching up the halberd, he proceeded to the door.

"Noda! Don't!"

The axman stumbled to a halt, confused look on his face.

"The trap's for HIM not you. I swear! If you didn't accompany me around half the time you'd be clobbered a lot more often! If-"

"Other than Angel, I haven't been hit by anything in over a month!"

"Let's keep it that way!"

"I can get him on the way up-" he started to suggest.

"No ... We let him come to us. When he tries to open the door the trap will do the rest. When he recovers, we question him."

Checking her waistband, she felt the comforting bulk of the Beretta 92 copy snugged in. Opening a desk drawer, she pulled out an identical spare and checked the chamber. She wasn't one to trust the indicator and wanted to be more than ready.

xxxxx

Jack checked the wall directory. Principles' office, third floor, all the way to the "west" end as the floor plan showed. The very room he thought he might have been observed from.

He approached the main counter, smaller cubicles behind, an attendant waiting.

Showing her his lanyard ID he spoke, "I'm new here and need to see the principal. Would you happen to know what his hours are?"

"He's usually here before nine AM and after five PM. His office is over there," she said pointing to the staff room door at the back of the admin area.

"Oh? Floor plan says it's on third floor."

"Used to be. He moved here for easier accessibility for student body and faculty."

"What's the old office used for now?"

"Nothing really ... I think it may be for storage ..."

"I ... see ... "

The man glanced up at the ceiling. "A place still listed as an office ... but not in use or storage ... someone with binocs ..."

"If there's anything else ..."

"Uh ... Not right now but maybe in a little bit. The principal in right now?"

"Oh yes," the attendant replied. "Saw him go in a half hour ago ... Shall I let him know you're here?"

Thinking a moment, Jack said, "something I have to do first."

A fast walk out the area he turned to the counter. "Be right back."

"I'll be here if you need me."

Being cautious, he took to the stairs. Elevator would be obvious. More than suspicion had set in. Kids "panic" on seeing him, someone watching from a distance (?) ... From a "misplaced" office at that ... Not to mention he and his apartment transported in less than a few hours intact to ... where? Japan? And the ... Fountain of Youth ... for lack of a better "term". No ... this was beyond irregular and the fantastic. It was ...

Walking down one side of the hall he made special note of doorways and recesses. Arriving at the office door, he gave it the once over. Nothing suspicious, typical heavy wooden door, the kind one would expect in an older building of this type. He stood to the side about to knock and enter.

xxxxx

Yuri crouched behind the desk, two handing the Beretta. It then occurred to her to have gotten something heavier out of the closet. The trap should do it. Noda stood by with the halberd ready to spring.

Footsteps echoed from the hall getting nearer. Stopping ... paused for a seeming eternity ... then leaving.

"Noda!"

The halberd wielder looked to Yuri, a puzzled frown on his face.

"CAREFULLY ... open the door but don't step out. Take a look."

He did so only to see the back of a figure turning the corner to the stairs. Noda let the door close and turned to Yuri.

"Only saw his back. He's heading down."

Yuri grabbed the radio.

"Yes! Yuri?"

"Spread the word. This guy's gotta' be watched ..."

xxxxx

Rounding the corner to the steps Jack spun around for a quick look-see back. The office door was just closing shut. Someone WAS there ... waiting.

"Could be nothing," he thought, "could be anything. Well ... later."

He proceeded down the stairs in total ignorance of how close he came to dying a second time.

xxxxx

"Hello again," smiling.

"Would you like to see the principal now?"

"In a little bit ... Uh ... could I ask a favor of you?"

"Oh of course."

"I was wondering if I could make a few calls."

"Why certainly," pointing to the phone on the counter.

"Thank you very much."

Picking up the receiver he asked, "do I need to dial 9 to get out or is it another number?"

"To ... uh ... get out?"

"Yes. I need to get an outside line. Also, do you have an area code directory (Preferably in ENGLISH!)? I ... need to get in touch with the nearest U.S. Consulate."

"Outside line? Area code ... what ... U.S. ... Consulate?"

"Yes ..."

"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean sir. Outside ... line?"

"Yes. I would like to make a call or calls outside school grounds."

"This phone only connects inside the school-"

"Where IS a phone I could call out with?" It was starting to get like his discussion with Kaji. Vague with a capital vague. Before she could answer he decided on a new tack.

"Where's the main gate?"

The receptionist had an even more perplexed look. "Uh ... gate?"

"Yes ... GATE!" Jack brought himself up short, trying to compose himself. It would do no good to 'lose it'. "I would like to leave the school grounds, make a phone call ... Uh ... What's the name of the town the school is in?"

"There's no ... uh ... town, only the school."

"Is there a town or city nearby?"

"There is only ... the school ..."

"I think I'd like to see the principal now."

The more than puzzled receptionist led Duffy to the staff room where he was ushered in to what became an even more perplexing discussion.

To be continued ...

* * *

Storyline and original characters (only) copyright © 5-1-14 C V Ford

Disclaimer: The preceding is a NON-PROFIT work of fan fiction for entertainment purposes only. I make no claim to ownership of the names/characters, places, & events mentioned in this work that are the intellectual properties of others. They are the sole properties of their respective owners. Please, by all means support the owners of such properties in the purchase & enjoyment of their works.


	3. Chapter 3

In Gods' Good Time

by

C V Ford

* * *

Chapter 3: Battlefront

The "talk" with the cordial but ALSO vague principal of Heavens' Academy proved just as informative. Not ... at ... all.

Jack sat excriutiatingly patient through the speech regarding the values of the education of youth and preparation for the future, tedious though it was. His series of questions after only brought puzzled looks with halting, incomplete answers as with Kaji and the receptionist from before. The "bad dub" didn't help either.

And why was the principal sitting at a kids' school desk?

It was all he could do to conduct himself in a cordial manner and after his questions not answered, politely took his leave.

Heading "east" he crossed the Second Entrance Bridge.

"Wonder if the fishing's good."

As he walked, all faculty and most students went to and fro about their affairs taking little notice of him. A few did. Some rather abruptly, hurredly talking in hushed tones as they sped past or away. Further suspicions slowly being confirmed that all was not clear or friendly in this strange place.

Passing the cafeteria and library buildings to his left, infirmary right, he continued on until there was no pavement left. Only trees in front, Class C to the right. Off in the distance to his left, the dorms.

"There has to be an entrance to this place," he pondered, scanning the map. "To a main road ... something ..."

Turning back, he headed for the cafeteria building, a plan forming. First ... coffee.

Entering the expansive place he stopped at the food court. Breakfast was being served up but his only interest was in coffee and his forming plan.

"I'm not sure, but I'm hoping there might be something on this debit," he said as he ran it through the reader. "Is there any way you can tell me how much might be on it?"

A few buttons pressed, the cashier handed an extra slip with the receipt.

"Oh!" Exclaiming to himself. "An advance!"

The card balance looked more than extremely generous but as it was in yen, he'd have to do some calculating.

Taking his coffee, he placed himself at a far corner table wanting his back to the wall and ability to survey all the scene before him. He turned to the clipboard and started scrawling away.

He congratulated himself on the way he conducted things so far. He should have been in a panic and almost was more than once. Caught in an alien environment with more questions than answers, instead of running around in confusion, he was going about in as systematic and organized a way as he could on the spur of the moment. No real answers yet, leaving only observation.

Observe he did. And one observation stood out at that moment.

Diagonally, several tables over, about three tables of students were more than obvious in checking him out, twin tail blonde among them. Furtive glances on their part told him it to be a mix of curiosity, puzzlement ... and some more than palpable hostility. Quick remarks and questions passing about amid the triple takes and stares.

A significant detail stood out. The uniforms they wore were different from the majority of the student body at large.

The girls wore the long sleeved, blue skirted ensemble he noticed before with the trio in Class A. The men wore the same colors as the girls of the main body. Black pants instead of skirts of course, with the khaki jackets being darker and of a masculine cut.

Their shoulder patch was interesting. All he could make out at that distance was the runic three Ss.

"Das SSS?" He mused. "At least the girls colors are ... uh ... 'patriotic'. Visiting students from another school ... elitist clique?"

"Excuse me ..." A voice from his right brought him abruptly out of his observation.

Duffy cursed himself inwardly. "Caught off guard again Jack ... Wake up!"

Looking up, he couldn't help but make out the details of the young lady before him. She had to be almost as tall as he was. Very long , luxuriant black hair topping an oval face sporting a thin nose and ... grey eyes. If it weren't for the shape of the eyes and high cheekbones she would almost pass for caucasian. She also wore the uniform of the bunch he was observing/being observed by.

"Ye ... ss?"

"My friends and I were wondering," she nodded to a couple other similarly clad girls standing a few feet away. "Are you from America?"

He was about to counter with wether or not she was from Hokkaido when the biggest of the young men from the table gathering called out urgently.

"Sakaki! ... Girls! ... Over here!" Indicating for them to get there right away.

"So sorry to have bothered you," accompanied by a hasty, nervous bow and left for the group.

He had only read about the Ainu/Utari. Weren't many left. Other than photos he never thought he'd ever see one up close.

"Well ... this is Japan ... isn't it?" Considering the circumstances, there was no surety in that.

To be continued.

* * *

Storyline and original characters (only) copyright © 5-1-14 C V Ford

Disclaimer: The preceding is a NON-PROFIT work of fan fiction for entertainment purposes only. I make no claim to ownership of the names/characters, places, & events mentioned in this work that are the intellectual properties of others. They are the sole properties of their respective owners. Please, by all means support the owners of such properties in the purchase & enjoyment of their works.


	4. Chapter 4

In Gods' Good Time

by

C V Ford

* * *

Chapter 4: Friend or Faux?

The man left the cafeteria building, recrossed the second entrance bridge for Class B. He mentally noted to stay out of the line of sight of Class B, particularly the old principals' office. As it was, he had new business there and entered through the back.

"And hi there again," he greeted the receptionist who made no sign of previous recognition.

"Can I help you?"

Yes you can. Would you mind if I use a photocopier?" He felt better, more optimistic, as he started to get a definite course of action in motion. "I'll be more than happy to pay for the copies."

"Oh, no charge." A cheerful answer. "Just follow me back here."

Taking the school mapchart from the envelope, several copies rattled off. Sitting at a vacant desk he unpocketed a red pen and started writing.

"Let's see ... (Circled Bs "west" wing.) Old principals' office. Possible observation point. Friend or foe?"

Looking up while doing his charts, he noticed one of the girl students' "off" uniforms beyond the reception area counter.

"So it begins," he thought.

Passing the young lady and leaving out the back, he ducked into the stand of trees across the "road" next to the pool building. He wasn't going to go back to the apartment the way he came. No sense letting a possible adversary easily trace you.

Out of the trees and in his apartment he rechecked his gunsafes' inventory. His pride and joy, a Rock Island Armory match grade M1 Garand rifle lay racked next to the Remington 870 12 guage and the old Remington 912 .22LR bolt action. His handguns included the Colt auto and mini-revolver he was now carrying . The other two were a smaller Colt 1991 Officers' Model .45 and a Ruger Standard Auto skinny barrel .22 LR.

Jack tried the phone again, first dialing 9 and alternating tries on 1 bringing only the same result. The dial tone ceased when trying to get out.

Before turning on his portable radio, a thought occured to him. Wasn't Japan on 220 volt system as opposed to North American 120? Convenient the lights and appliances worked without damage.

Looking it up in an electricians manual, he found Japan depended mostly on a 100 volt system, thus his equipment marginally safe. Even so, Jack dug out a variable transformer and set it to "step up" 120, first plugging his radios' cord in then the trans to the wall.

Turning on the radio on, he tuned up and down the dial both AM/FM finding almost ... nothing. Only a simulcast on both of what he assumed to be the schools' low power station on 89.7 and 1300 greeted his ears. Nothing else ... not even static could be heard but a steady hydrogen hiss.

In the "toy room" He pulled out an old Sangean ATS-803A shortwave reciever. Unreeling, stringing up a portable wire antenna he plugged in the jack. After transferring the variable transformer, he fired the radio up for a quick up and down tune.

Being daytime, he tried tuning above 10 mhz, 31 to 10 meters, only to get the same result. WWV/WWVH (10, 15, and 20 mg.) and CHU (Canada, 14.670 and 7.850 mg.) timehack stations missing. Looking up Japans' timehack, JJY, as well as BPM (China) and BSF (Taiwan) he noted they used the same 10 mg frequency, they also absent. Ham, international broadcast, utility, and military bands dead silent. He knew, when the sun went down, everything below 10 mhz would be the same.

A quick scan with a frequency counter revealed almost nothing but for a six frequency trunked system in the 403-495 mhz range possibly for the schools' building and grounds staff and PA system.

TV of course, nothing at all.

Not taking a risk with his computer, he repeated the procedure with the transformer. Machine on, he clicked the browser and it automatically went to the schools' webpage. The address having a dot co dot jp suffix. Checking the browsers' internet options he found it to be set as his home page.

"Certainly DON'T remember doing that!" Exclaiming to himself.

Being the obstinate type, he entered Google, Yahoo and other search engine addys in the hopes of gaining some control. None appeared. Not even 404 error messages. Any other addys the same: No Drudgereport, Amazon, NY Times, Columbus Dispatch, Kino Video, Criterion Collection, Fan Fiction dot net, Classic Horror Film Board ... nothing.

For the heck of it, he entered the addy to his own blog ... again ... nothing.

Returning back to the academys' web page, he studied it, using the browsers' translator to decifer the three alphabet lingo. A non-wealth of sterile, generic info indicating nothing substantial about the schools' location. Graphics, charts, lists of student organinsations, clubs, events but nothing useful in determining what, and where he was.

A list of school supported blogs came up as he checked the time, about noon. He bookmarked, making a mental note to come back to that list.

Checking over his residential building first (Three floors, identical to five others.), he hastily drew up floor plans with as much detail as possible: Access, laundry room, utility closets, etc.

He then did a leisurely counter clockwise circuit of the whole schoolgrounds in the hopes of finding an entrance leading to a road ... to somewhere. Before doing so, he further equipped himself with a pair of 25 mm binoculars.

The campus resided on a long, "southward" slope. Once past the gym, it wouldn't be long before he would be within eyeshot of Class B. He kept inside the edge of the woods bordering the grounds to avoid observation.

xxxxx

"Oh ... come on!" Yuri yelled into the radio. "He couldn't have just disappeared!"

"Sorry," Yusa answered. "Hisako just saw him leave Class B and duck into the woods a few minutes ago. We've no idea where-"

Yuri was then hit with a thought. "Yusa ... hold it. Got an idea, call you back."

"An idea?" Takamatsu asked.

"Yes! They saw him with a staff lanyard ID around his neck, right? Check residential housing!"

"Resi - yeah right!"

"It stands to reason if he's ... uh ... 'supposed' to be here, that he'd have a place in the staff/faculty apartments."

"Of course," Takamatsu picked up. "Any newly arrived students automatically have a dorm room. If he's a staffer why should it be any different? If he is one that is."

"The ID around his neck means SOMETHING," Yuri said. "It's worth a try. Though ... He'd be the first non-NPC staffer we'd know of ... And a foreigner at that."

A new thought hit her. Turning to a young man lounging on a mid floor couch, "hey ... Hinata!"

"Yo!"

"Get in touch with Takeyama. We can use him right now." She handed him the phone.

Hinata reared up from the cushions. "Him!? What for? Little geek's got a God complex a mile wide-"

"And inches deep. Big ego means big effort. Have him access school personnel files. If this guy's an employee, there'll have to be info on him.

"Should have thought of this before ...

xxxxx

It was as he thought it might and hoped it wouldn't. Except for a couple gravel access trails leading nowhere, there were no roads leading out. Asphalt was a closed circuit. Only traffic was the very occasional grounds maintenance vehicle. After going the length of the campus' south boundary he headed "north". Along the forests' edge and past the ball field, he briefly exposed himself by dashing across the south creek bridge. Past Class C and the dorms, he came upon a gravel access trail leading to the highest point on the grounds. At the end of which stood the cel/radio tower.

He noted the extra antennae. Probably the AM/FM station, PA and utilities. ALL the cel horns, reflectors and repeater antennae "pointing" INTO the campus.

Hating heights, he climbed any way. Didn't need to get to the very top. Once clear of the trees he scanned in all directions with the 25 mm.

Other than the campus, it was nothing but forest on all points of the compass. If this was Japan, it was pretty well deserted. More like southeast Ohio or western Pennsylvania. No built up areas to be seen. A government preserve of some kind? A ...

xxxxx

Shiina picked up on him the moment he started crossing the south creek bridge and had been shadowing since. He seemed easy enough to track.

After word got out on his disappearance she picked what she thought a likely spot atop Class C, waited, perservearance paying off. Running back to Yuri was out, so she stalked in the shadows watching the strange target who had appeared in their midst.

xxxxx

Hitting the ground, Jack then sat at the towers' base in speculation.

"Place has to be supplied somehow. No roads in or out, no airfield or helipad ... playing fields, parks could double for that but ..."

It was getting on in the afternoon, the shadows would be long soon.

Still keeping inside the forests' edge, he made his way past the dorms only to be stopped by the creek gorge. Heading "south" he got out into the open going for the second entrance bridge. Exposed again, he brazened it out, walking in an authoritive manner, clipboard in hand. Except for a pair of staring students, the rest in view acted like the "zombies" Jack hoped for. At least none of the "off" uniforms in evidence. Once across, he shot back into the woods proceeding around the pool building and indoor track field.

xxxxx

As soon as he hit the trees, one of the aforementioned "offs" sprang from the foliage, dashing over the bridge. Shiina had no intention of losing this one.

xxxxx

Employee housing in sight, he decided against heading directly to his building (2). Thinking fast, he spotted a "co-worker" walking to 4. The "droid" ran his key card through the reader. As he opened the door, Jack brushed past with a hurried "sorry" and entered.

xxxxx

"Gotcha!" Shiina exclaimed to herself on seeing the "target" enter Res 4. Leaving concealment, she ran down the side. Yuri would no doubt congratulate her.

xxxxx

Jack wasted no time dashing down the hall and out the other end to Res 2. He quickly swiped his card and entered, Shiina just missing him as she scooted between buildings right after. Up to his third floor living space, he entered and started peering out the windows of the corner apartment. Only half surprised to see a girl in a SSS uniform walking up to a pair of khaki jacketed individuals. One of them the rather large capable looking fellow from the cafeteria encounter. He noted the other ... holding a sheathed sword.

xxxxx

"Looks like you found something Shiina!" Matsushita 5th Dan exclaimed.

"Res 4," a breathless Shiina, bent over, holding her knees. "He's in Residential 4."

"You sure?" Asked Fujimaki.

"Positive. Saw him go in! You just missed him."

"Yuri'll be happy with that."

xxxxx

Jack watched the three head down the pathway back to the campus proper. Confirmed: Someone was curious about him ... possibly hostile.

To be continued ...

xxxxx

Note: Radio savvy readers may notice the JJY timehack station has been off shortwave since the 1970s'. Just thought I'd add it to the story.

* * *

Storyline and original characters (only) copyright © 5-1-14 C V Ford

Disclaimer: The preceding is a NON-PROFIT work of fan fiction for entertainment purposes only. I make no claim to ownership of the names/characters, places, & events mentioned in this work that are the intellectual properties of others. They are the sole properties of their respective owners. Please, by all means support the owners of such properties in the purchase & enjoyment of their works.


	5. Chapter 5: One Step Beyond

In God's Good Time

by

C V Ford

* * *

Chapter 5: One Step Beyond the Outer Limits of the Twilight Zone

As Battlefront members filtered in, Yuri sat at the desk examining Takayamas' supplied printout. On either side, Hinata and Takamatsu reading over her shoulder.

"Wow! I knew this guy was old but ... 1954? He's gotta be in his 60s! I thought late 20s, early 30s."

"Keep in mind Yuri," Hinata interjected. "Some of us were in our early 20s before coming here ... college or workforce. Cha was even married, remember?"

"It MIGHT be something of a stretch for a much older person to arrive younger," Takamatsu speculated, "but not inconsistent."

"Uh ... Why THIS guy?" Asked Oyama from a center couch.

"And why non-Asian? ... An American at that!" Noda asked from across the room.

Glances went their way. Good questions.

"Let's see ...," Yuri continued. "James B. Duffy, age 62 (Geez!), born August 8, 1954, Mt. Vernon, Ohayo-"

"That's Ohio," Takamatsu corrected, "-OUCH!"

"I knew that," Yuri replied giving a sharp kick to the ankle. "August ... 8 ... what's ... oh ..."

Her face darkened somewhat on noting the date then she went on, "race Caucasian, height 5'9", hair grey to dk brown, eyes hazel ... weight ... This photo's misleading. This guy's nowhere this old looking-"

"Maybe he doesn't photograph well ..."

Yuri looked at Oyama with a disapproving look. Desk and distance in the way so a boot to the head was out. She looked back at the sheet.

"Previous residence, 24 Darlington Blvd., Westerville, Ohay- ... Ohio. Previous occupation, Building and Grounds Maintenance, Otterbein College, Westerville, Ohio. No military experience."

"Says here," Hinata chimed in. "Hobbies include reading, history, shortwave radio listening, hunting, fishing, hiking, movie collecting, shooting sports."

"Hunting, fishing, hiking ... shooting sports," Takamatsu emphasized.

"Might mean trouble Yuri," cautioned Hinata.

"Or a help," countered Yuri.

"Maybe."

"In any event," Takamatsu continued, "help or hindrance, he should be starting off as 'naked' as we did."

"Go on," prodded Yuri.

"Though he seems to be taking investigative action he also seems somewhat confused. It's obvious he's just as much in the dark as any of us were on getting here."

"You'd think Angel would have tried to contact him by now," Yuri thought aloud. "Why hasn't she?"

"Maybe it's because he's moving around so much?"

The three looked up at Oyama.

"You actually DO have a brain!" The Battlefront leader exclaimed. "Very good! Don't try too hard though."

Oyama didn't know wether to be pleased or chagrined so kept quiet.

"He certainly HAS been on the move. Whenever we have seen him, he's been taking notes, observing. Asking questions ... or trying to, " Hinata stated.

"Since the NPCs are purposefully vague, and the word out to our own people and the non-aligned to avoid him," Takamatsu paused, "then there's our own native insularity in regard to foreigners ..."

Yusa, who had been quiet all this time said, "the only ones I've seen trying to talk with him was Sakaki and a couple of the other girls."

"Oh?"

"They hadn't gotten the word yet but Matsushita called them over and clued them in."

"Why not actually talk to him?" Oyama again. "I mean, he's confused ... yet probably knows someone's watching yet avoiding him. He hasn't tried talking with US yet ... maybe we should try first."

Everyone in the room stared at the diminutive one as if he pulled a mortal faux pas. He got more nervous than usual.

"I ... I mean ... We all know how scared and confused each of us were when we got here ... Hinata had trouble deciding wether I was real or not ..."

"I know. I still have my doubts about you-OW!"

As Yuri still was not close enough to whack Oyama, Hinatas' ankle would do.

"All the same," she thought, "he does have a point."

"Maybe it WAS a mistake to hold off," Yuri speculated. "At the moment we have something else to attend to before deciding on this guy."

"Meaning ... our meal ticket situation?" Hinata asked.

"Meaning exactly that ... He would have to come at such an inconvenient time ..."

An uttered "No god, no Buddhas, no angels" was heard as Shiina, Matsushita, and Fujimaki entered.

"Good news!" Exclaimed Matsushita. "Shiina got the goods on the gaijin."

"She tracked him where he lives!" Fujimaki chimed in.

"Where exactly?" Yuri asked.

"Residential apartments, building 4," Shiina answered. "Spotted him crossing the south creek bridge and followed him back to the apartments."

"What was he doing?"

"Looking around, taking notes ... was really intent on staying inside the forests' edge ... like he didn't want to be seen."

"Probably looking for a nonexistent main entrance or any road out," speculated Takamatsu.

"He even climbed that metal tower back of the dorms. Had ... ," the ninja pointed to an object on the desk, "... one of those things ... only smaller."

"Binoculars?" Yuri glanced at the 57 mm pair on the desk. "Notepads, pens, etc. can be gotten here easily enough but ... binoculars?"

"He couldn't have arrived with those," said Hinata. "If He's to be working for Building and Grounds he must have gotten them from that department."

"That has to be it," said Yuri, others nodding in agreement. "None of us got here with anything but empty pockets. In school uniform at that.

"You did a great job Shiina," Yuri continued. "We know a little more about him than before. He may have pulled a fast one on you though-"

"Oh!?" The ninja girls' face darkened. She KNEW she had been utmost in concealing herself. She was more than certain he didn't see her trailing him.

"He knows something's going on. Maybe thinks it's us, someone anyway. How did you see him enter Res. 4. Did he use a key card?"

"Key card? One of those ... Oh! No he ... Another worker was using his and he went in as the door was opened. Damn! ... He knew I was following!"

"Possibly not," said Takamatsu. "The way he's been acting, he probably did it as a precaution ... a routine he's figuring out."

"It says here," the Battlefront leader held up the hacked personnel papers, "he lives in Res. 2."

"You were right Shiina," Fujimaki suppressed a sheepish grin as he said it. "We did just miss him. If Matsushita and I'd been a little quicker getting there we'd might have seen him go in Res. 2"

Shiina only glared.

"All the same," declared Yuri, "you did good."

"So," said Matsushita. "What DO we do about him? Try to talk to him, or-"

"Something else!" Noda took an enthused practice swing with his halberd for emphasis.

"We do NOTHING ... for now," the leader declared sternly looking at Noda then scanning the room. "... except what we've been doing-"

"But Yurippe!"

"... Keep observing, have little to do with him as possible ... for the time being. We've other fish to fry for the moment."

"The meal ticket situation again," Takamatsu stated.

"Exactly. One thing at a time. After tomorrow nights' operation ... THEN we decide about Duffy-san."

xxxxx

Jack stayed in the rest of the day. He checked and loaded the rest of the handguns, the 870 with #6 and placed them in various accessable places in the apartment.

Searching for more info, he checked out the blogs on the school website. A quick look through several showed them to be rather bland in the goings on of the school. He had little to no interest in the hopes, dreams, and aspirations of teenagers.

One strangely titled blog did however catch his attention: Christ of the Front's Diary. There were quite a few photos of students wearing the "off" uniform. If these were indeed of those watching him, the blog would prove to be useful.

And useful it did. He immediately recognized several from the pictures. A few from the cafeteria but definitely two of the three seen outside his apartment building. He couldn't find any of the girl who was with them.

"Matsushita, Fujimaki ...," he made his list, "... hmmm ... Yusa the ponytails kid, and ... This ... Yuri Nakamura ... Ring leader?

"I dub thee ... THE DRAGON LADY!" He declared aloud and chuckled wryly to himself. He was a little too young to have really remembered Terry and the Pirates.

The printer rattled off as many of the blog pics he thought would be useful. Study the faces ... Friend or foe?

"CHRIST? ... of the Fronts' Diary?" Duffy pondered. This Takayama kid was rather full of himself about his computer skills but probably definitely good enough. Calling himself ... Christ?

"Yeah ... well ... Whatever you say ... "Hey-Seus."

From what he could gather from the blog text, browser translator helping somewhat, the kids seemed to have some kind of beef with ... God (?) ... and a certain "fellow" student. The allusions to death and afterlife were perplexing, creepy and unintelligible. He was beginning to think the Battlefront to be a cult of "emoness" of some kind.

"Great!" He thought. "Just ... Great! Trapped One Step Beyond the Outer Limits of the Twilight Zone with a pack of possibly mentally ill, delusional kids scoping me out ..."

Almost mid-night, Jack shut down his machine and did something he hadn't done in quite a long time.

He prayed ... Long and hard.

To be continued ...

xxxxx

"The Dragon Lady" was a less than lawful protagonist/antagonist in the old comic strip, Terry and the Pirates by Milton Caniff (Who also did Steve Canyon and the more adult oriented Cannon and original Sally Forth.). "Dragon Lady" later came into American slang in reference to any assertive/capable Asian woman.

* * *

Storyline and original characters (only) copyright © 5-1-14 C V Ford

Disclaimer: The preceding is a NON-PROFIT work of fan fiction for entertainment purposes only. I make no claim to ownership of the names/characters, places, & events mentioned in this work that are the intellectual properties of others. They are the sole properties of their respective owners. Please, by all means support the owners of such properties in the purchase & enjoyment of their works.


	6. Chapter 6

In Gods' Good Time

by

C V Ford

* * *

Chapter 6: Answers

He didn't sleep long and with one eye open at that. At 5 AM it was up and out. This time in a clockwise direction of the schoolgrounds' perimeter. Jack counted on his observers to be typical young people in not getting up earlier than they had to, especially since he would be passing the dorms early on. Seemed to have paid off. Only the odd maintenance staffer could be seen about the various buildings.

Another climb of the cel tower and optical scan revealing the same from yesterday. Unless supplies were by air or somehow delivered underground , there was no way the place would continue to function for long.

Leaving the tower area, he continued cross country instead of the gravel path. Not noticing the stealthy, silent observer in the foliage and early morning gloom. It was an affair of honor for Shiina now and if Yuri gave the word ... she'd strike.

Jack took his time walking the school perimeter, taking in every detail he could. The other two gravel paths ended about a hundred yards into the woods leading to only more trees and "rabbit trails".

It was almost 9 AM when he dragged himself back to his apartment. Grabbing some cereal, he took a not so quick nap. It was almost noon when he awoke.

He thought it better to start asking questions of the Battlefront and who better than the members themselves? One sure place to find some was the cafeteria and it was there he headed.

Reactions from passing students seemed the same. Either complete indifference, or stares and hushed remarks to one another. Most among the "normal" uniforms. Obviously not all the "sentients" were Battlefront members.

He found them easily enough. Sitting at the same few tables as the day before, "dragon lady" not in evidence. Tired of the furtiveness of before he decided on the direct approach ... which was to go up to the "biggest and baddest" and/or most authoritative looking as that would most likely be the "leader" at the moment. In this case the large framed Matsushita.

A hush fell across the group as they saw the approaching foreigner. They hadn't expected this.

"Excuse me," Jack cleared his throat and did a slight bow. "Matsushita-san is it?"

The large teen was taken somewhat aback. He was not used to being addressed in a polite manner by an adult.

Other Battlefront members either smiling nervously or mouths hanging open, watched. The Utari girl, deadpan expressionless. Jack kept a mental eye on Fujimaki the sword bearer.

And the blonde ... Was that a mic extension on the side of her face? Yes ... she was wearing a headset of some kind ... Wireless mic ... radio?

"As you may have noticed," Duffy started, "I'm not from around here-"

An understatement that elicited some intakes of breath and nervous giggles.

" -and I was wondering if you or someone else could clue me in as to what all this is about."

Matsushita 5th Dan was at a loss for words. He quickly recovered as he noticed someone else approaching.

Pointing past Jack he said, "I think SHE might help you."

Jack turned slightly as front members let out more gasps and giggles.

Coming directly towards them was a small, petite, elfin figure. White hair, yellow eyes, with a look of calm authority. It was evident she was not with this bunch. Clad in "normal" uniform, bright khaki blazer, black skirt, she seemed quiet and yet, in her own dainty way ... strong.

The diminutive one looked up at the foreigner.

"You shouldn't be here."

Even more hesitant chuckles from behind and louder.

Duffy held up his lanyard ID. "This says different but I'm inclined to agree ... If you have answers, I have questions."

She motioned to a table several over from the Battlefronts' where they sat across from one another.

The kid made for a very poor Rod Serling (1). At least ol' Rod let one partly in on the "joke" at the beginning of each episode. Jack found quickly she answered best when given direct questions. Here for a tense 24+ hours and finally some answers set in stone. He decided on starting with the news mans' five ws'.

"Who ... are you?"

"Kanade Tachibana"

"What ... are you in relation to this place?"

"Student Council President."

"What ... IS this place?"

"Heavens' Academy."

"I take it this is a school."

"Yes."

"Other than the obvious, what ... IS this place for?"

"For those who cooperate, it can bring rewards."

"Rewards? ... as in ..."

"To pass on."

"What do you mean by ... uh ... 'to pass on'?"

"Transcendance ... destiny ..."

"Oh ... great!" Jack thought. "Kid's spacey as a-"

He decided to cut to the chase.

"WHY am I here?"

"I do not know ... Only you would know that."

An idea hit him. A School is for education so ...

"Why ... ," he gestured to the cafeteria scene about him, "are THEY here?"

"Rewards ..."

Not THAT again!

"Uh ... how ... did ... I ... uh ... THEY ... get here?"

"They died."

"Now we're getting somewhere ... ," Duffy thought, " ... Not!"

The Q & A session continued, resulting in Duffys' being informed of a bad situation. The girl patiently giving answers he did not at all like.

"Is this Heaven/hell?"

"In spite of the schools' name, I am not sure."

"No one gets sick here? ... Really? Does anyone grow old here?"

"No one has been here long enough to find out."

That gave him a chill.

"How does one leave?"

"They just ... go."

"Go as in ... vanish? Disappear?"

"Yes."

"Terrific!" He thought. "The 'rapture'!"

"Where?"

"Their fate. Destiny."

"Heaven/hell?"

"Perhaps."

"Seeing as this may be a Buddhist/Shinto kind of arrangement ... does reincarnation come into the picture?"

"Perhaps."

The man was really yearning for a talk with the smiling smoker in the Kuppenheimer (2) suit. It wasn't like pulling teeth so much as knowing which ones to pull. Even then, this dead pan Tachibana kid was not an outpouring of info. Because of her emotionless style of delivery, Jack wondered if she might be one of the "zombies", yet he detected something behind the yellow eyes saying different.

All through their non-discussion, sidelong glances revealed the Front people either staring intently at them or engaged in subdued conversation. Some, including Matsushita and Fujimaki, watching in a rather hostile manner toward the girl.

And yes ... that ... Yusa ... was talking into that headset, her hand up to her ear as if pressing a transmit button.

"You don't seem to be well liked by that bunch. What's up with that?"

"Some students," she paused as if picking words carefully, "... are not cooperative."

"Cooperative ... ? In what way?"

"Acceptance." The eyes blinked once. "I must go now. Afternoon classes will soon start and I have other tasks."

"I have further questions. Is there any way we can get in touch later?"

"I will be ... around."

With that, the girl excused herself and left.

Watching her leave, he checked his notes doing a quick summary. Wether he "died" or not he couldn't be sure but there was no denying he was in an alien place/situation. He also couldn't deny the events of the past couple days and that he was in the best physical shape he hadn't been in many years. Though this wasn't Heaven, it certainly wasn't the colossal mideival torture chamber he envisioned hell to be, a cackling Vincent Price (3) and all.

He got up from the table and strode over to where the Battlefront contingent was seated. He now had a lot more info than before but felt a different perspective useful.

"Get what you want?" A half smirk on 5th Dans' face and snickers all around.

"Perhaps. Can I ask a favor of you?" Keeping a level tone in his voice. He heeded the words of John Wayne (4): 'Talk low ... and slow ... and don't say much.'

"Uh ..."

"I would like to speak with Ms. Nakamura if that could be arranged."

Excusing himself Jack left the same way as Tachibana. Front members either somewhat amazed or talking among themselves.

"That sure took some nerve!" Fujimaki exclaimed. "I oughta'-"

"Yuri said do nothing for now but watch," the big fellow said. "Nerve? I like that in an opponent."

NERV ... ous was more like it. Duffy wasn't happy with the situation but felt the direct approach best for the moment. There were more of them than he and a show of weakness could only make things worse ... perhaps ... fatal?

Fatal?

Here?

If even half of what the Tachibana kid said was true ... A fight with anyone would be pointless. You'd only come back.

These Battlefront kids seemed organized but were they dangerous? Nothing on that blog indicated they were hostile in a physically menacing way, only suspicious and ... strange. All the same ... calling themselves the "Battlefront" ... like some resistance group.

Armed with new questions and a "better" understanding of his present situation, he decided another talk with the principal worth a try. It wasn't. He received a repeat of the nice speech on the benefits of education and youth profiting thereby. When asked direct questions about the schools' exact location and the logistics in supply, etc. the "robot" would at best refer to vague generalities. After he politely exited, Jack concluded the principal was no more in charge of the place than he was.

Who was? SOMEONE had to be. The place couldn't just run itself. Tachibana? Those kids of the Battlefront? If factions were "ruling" why didn't the place degenerate into total destructive anarchy long ago? All Jack sould see about him was the calm orderliness of a large academy ... and about that ... a forested wilderness.

Nothing but the school station and grounds maintenance on the airwaves ... What "internet" there was was extremely limited ...

And something else: In the two days so far, no aircraft were to be seen. No winged specks in the distance, not even a vapor trail. Jack hadn't seen anything like that since the two weeks right after 9-11. Eerie. If this kept up, he could only conclude he WAS on another planet ... or an afterlife ... of sorts.

xxxxx

"He actually walked up and addressed you directly? Called you by name?" Though Yusa relayed everything she could to Yuri during the encounter, the Front leader was still, to say the least, surprised.

"And he seems to know who you are," Matsushita replied. "He'd like to talk with you."

"Talk ...," she kept the emotion down.

"Mentioned you by name," Fujimaki piped in. "Said he had questions, you might have answers."

"None of you ...," Yuri panned over the room meeting the gaze of all who had been there." ... said a thing to him, right?"

"Ignorance golden! Silence bliss!" TK

"Not a thing," answered Matsushita. "He looked like he was about to ask something when Angel showed up. I only pointed her out to him and he seemed satisfied. They must have talked for over a half hour."

"You watched the whole time?"

"Couldn't do anything else. 'Sides, you told us only to observe."

"Yeah ... That I did," the young woman leaned back in the desk chair, hand under nose, stroking chin. "Notice any new objects he was carrying?"

"Well, he had the binocs Shiina mentioned from before and-"

"Did you see him writing while asking Angel anything?"

"Wait a sec," Fujimaki said. "The notebook he has-"

"Oh?"

"It didn't look anything like school stationary."

"What'd it look like?"

"The usual spiral kind except ... the cover was different. Blue with printing in Romanji. English maybe ..."

"Hostile, nervous?"

"Polite ... courteous. Firm though. Didn't sound like he was looking for a fight ... another thing-"

"What?"

"He spoke perfect Japanese but ... ," Fujimaki looked perplexed.

"Go on."

"His mouth ... didn't ... match the words ... like ... a ..."

"Like a what?"

"Well ... ," the sword bearer faltering. "Like a foreign movie without the words on the bottom ... Uh..."

"Bad dubbing," Oyama interrupted. "As if you're watching a badly voice-dubbed foreign film."

Fujimaki frowned. The little dweeb could be a bit too smart at times ...

"At least there's no subtitles to read It'd be kind of rude looking down ... to read ... while ... "

The kid trailed off. His lame attempt at a joke going nowhere. He was glad he was too far from Yuri to get a whack. He dreaded the 'ranking' he'd get from Fujimaki later.

"Nothing surprises me anymore," said Yuri. "What was he like talking with Angel?"

"Always writing," said Hinata. "He looked kind of confused and intense with some of her answers."

"Too bad we weren't close enough to hear them," the big one said. "Woulda' been interesting."

"I'm sure she gave him an earful ... in her own limited way," Yuri thought aloud.

"Does any of this affect tonights' operation?" Asked Takamatsu.

"No. We proceed as planned with tonights' guerilla concert/tornado hit. At 20 hundred hours ... It's Operation ... Start!"

As the front members conversed among themselves, Yuri leaned forward, elbows on desk and hands clasped to her face. She went down a mental list:

A foreigner, American, wearing his own street clothes not maintenance uniform, has binoculars and non-school stationary. How could he get those? He COULDN'T have arrived with any of his past-life possessions , could he? ... What if he brought other stuff? ... Other ... stuff ...

A chill went up her spine.

From what she read and heard of Americans and their ultra weird country ... Americans really liked their guns. So much so they even have laws supporting ownership ... He couldn't ...?

"Shiina?" She called for the brooding one.

"She's out doing her shadow routine with the foreigner," answered Takamatsu. "She checks with Yusa per your instructions."

Yuri put in a call to Yusa.

"Tell her when you see her to get on up here. Urgent ... We need to talk."

xxxxx

Getting "home", the man wasted no time. Getting the frequency counter and scanner, he proceeded re-searching the frequencies above 30 mhz. He knew it would take awhile as he was sure any communication between Yusa and Nakamura would be, unlike the school station, sporadic. In over an hour, the freq counter registered a number near the 500-670 wireless mic range.

He looked the frequency up. While it was above the 400-500 school utilities span in the general area of the "hi" wireless mic range as expected, it was actually "out of band" above 670.

The man figured they must have "appropriated" a wireless mic or two and "tweaked" them for tuning above programmed freq. Possibly Takayama doing the alteration. He found several days later that was the case.

Getting the Uniden handheld scanner he set the receiver to the exact "channel".

"Must be 'ponytails'," he thought as he heard the feminine monotone relating observations to whom he assumed to be 'Dragon Lady'.

At the first mention of Yuris' name he was sure.

"Sounds kinda' like Pam Ferdins' Lucy from the Charlie Brown specials," he thought on hearing the responding authoritative voice.

As it was, he was only semi-surprised some of the back and forth had to do with him. They had even found out his name!. Every so often it was mentioned he couldn't be spotted and probably was at his apartment. This raised an eyebrow only slightly. This more than confirmed the three seen outside the day before.

He monitored intently. It was a comfort knowing they had no knowledge of his ability to listen in on their communications.

Seemed he was not the main subject of conversation. Over the course of the next several hours of irregular, long time between signal exchanges, he deduced something "big" in the making for that night. Some sort of "operation" not having anything at all to do with him. Something about a concert. It didn't sound like a school sponsored event. An elaborate prank of some kind? Disruption? Vandalism?

And who/what was this "Angel"? The "fellow student" mentioned in that blog? The Tachibana girl from earlier?

The only other very few references to him seemed in regard to his location. A Shiina being mentioned only once.

"She-na?" He questioned to himself. The name itself brought to mind Irish McCallas' (5) character in that old TV show. "Could it be the girl I saw outside with Matsushita and Fujimaki yesterday?"

xxxxx

Radio traffic picked up before 8 PM. Yes, as was discussed before, a concert ... or something ... was in the offing and students gathering in the cafeteria. The kids were having their aforementioned "bust-up", letting off steam. From the sounds of Yusas' reportage, it seemed half the school in attendance and all the "Battlefront" either present or had taken up "positions" outside.

Every so often, "music" drifted up from the direction of the cafeteria several hundred yards distant.

"No sign of Angel so far ... or the Gaijin," a chuckle. "Maybe he's not into J-Pop. How's it in there Yusa?"

"Gi-De-Mo isn't exactly what I'd call J-Pop, Yuri ... The audience is at its peak. Get the fans on?"

"Let's wait a few minutes more and ... Wait a sec!"

"Is it?"

"It is ... Hit the fans! ... Get the others to snatch up as much as they can then meet us at rendezvous point. Things 'r about to get hot!"

xxxxx

Turning from the scanner, Jack checked over the Rock Island Armory made M1 Garand. A proven design George Patton declared to be "the greatest battle implement ever devised". His father, a veteran of the Korean War, swore by it. Duffy sweated over more than a pay check or two getting it. Though cleaned after the last time fired, he gave it a good once over, making sure everything functioned properly.

He reasoned since this was "Japan" there shouldn't be any guns here other than his. Since who/what saw fit for his "goodies" to accompany him to this strange place, there had to be a good reason to have them along. Knowing there was a possibly hostile element watching, Jack was taking no chances. He set the rifle on the table and glanced at the clock. 8:25 PM.

As he reviewed the related items on the table, a long unheard but familiar sound from his days of working at a gunstore/target range hit his ears ... small arms fire?

To be continued ...

xxxxx

1. Rod Serling (1924-1975) was the host of The Twilight Zone, a half hour mystery/sci-fi/supernatural TV anthology lasting four seasons, 1959-64.

2. Kuppenheimer is a prestigious mens clothing firm that was one of the suppliers of Mr. Serlings' suits for the show.

3. To older readers/movie fans, Vincent Price (1911-1993) needs no introduction. Actor, bon vivant, gourmet, writer, promoter/dealer/critic of the fine arts, he was Hollywoods' renaissance man. Most noted for his horror film roles the second half of his movie career.

4. John Wayne (1907-1979) was a film actor (Best known for his "westerns".) noted for his slow talking acting style that went along well with the character(s) he played. Straight, to the point, honest, slow to anger. Never starting a fight but more than ready to finish it.

5. Irish McCalla (1928-2002) was the title character in a one season TV show, Shena Queen of the Jungle (1956).

This ends the weekly chapter installations. Future chapters will be every two weeks. Even though the next ten chapters are alreadly written, I'd like to "buy" some time and have more written in the future.

Storyline and original characters (only) copyright © 5-1-14 C V Ford

Disclaimer: The preceding is a NON-PROFIT work of fan fiction for entertainment purposes only. I make no claim to ownership of the names/characters, places, & events mentioned in this work that are the intellectual properties of others. They are the sole properties of their respective owners. Please, by all means support the owners of such properties in the purchase & enjoyment of their works.


	7. Chapter 7

In Gods' Good Time

by

C V Ford

* * *

Chapter 7: Night Run!

Shiina crouched in the darkness just inside the forests' edge. She didn't mind Yuris' command to watch over the foreigners' apartment. Though she wanted in on the nights' operation, she had a personal stake in surveiling the residential building and the gaijin within. The American could be clever and matching wits might be a challenge.

The apartment was third floor (top), southeast corner, overlooking the campus. An excellent observation point, almost as good as the principals' former office.

She tensed as the sound of gunfire southeast towards the cafeteria area started up. Angel was on the move and fellow members of the tri-S doing what they could to impede her in their grabbing the meal tickets.

The ninja girl wanted badly to be with them but knew of the importance of her own task. They had no idea whose side the outsider was on thus needed watching while the op commenced. If he interfered ... she knew what to do.

As she was the only one scoping out the building (Yuri attending the op in her stead.), she couldn't cover all sides at once. She chose to keep primarily to the east side alternating up and down covering front and back. Shiina knew there was a chance he could get out unseen ...

xxxxx

And unknowingly, Jack did just that, slipping out a side door on the buildings' WEST side being just missed by Shiina as she slipped back to the east. Bandolier clipped on, rifle in hand, the man clinging to the shadows of the structure, proceeded to the southeast corner.

The space between the building and forest on the far side of the paved paths' entrance was wide. He'd have to chance it and did.

xxxxx

Shiina , at the northeast corner looked down the buildings' length, just catching a glimpse of a stealthy figure dashing across and diving into the trees. The race was on!

xxxxx

"WHY ... the ... hell ... am ... I ... DOING ... this!?"

The thought ran through Jacks' head as he scuttled through trees and brush, running to the sound of the guns. The intelligent thing was to stay on the floor at "home" waiting it out. Yet, here he was, dashing about the foliage towards the battle. Did the new found youth also entail an accompanying lack of intelligence or immaturity? Young, dumb, and full of ... He only knew he had to be there, if anything, see what it was about.

Keeping in the tree line, he skirted past the maintenance buildings. Turning the corner of the pool building he headed south toward Class B and the second entrance bridge beyond which the sound of firing was coming from. The cafeteria ...

xxxxx

That old guy is fast! Shiina couldn't believe the speed the foreigner put on. This was not going to be short work. Yuri was right ... the crazy American WAS armed! With the biggest looking rifle she'd ever seen. Like something out of what the others called ... movies. Nothing like the "plastic" the Battlefront carried.

xxxxx

He skidded to a stop at the edge of the trees looking out on the road a few feet away leading from the second entrance bridge. The firing had stopped and now the sound of many running feet approaching. In a crouch, Jack tensed, readying himself but not poised to fire. He had no idea who was coming and wasn't sure if friend or foe. It was only a look-see anyway.

xxxxx

A few feet away with blades drawn, Shiina poised, ready to spring. She noted him only holding the rifle at the ready but not in a firing posture. As if only wanting to observe. If he did take aim, she was confident he would be dead meat.

xxxxx

Duffy, surprised yet not surprised at what appeared. As semi-expected, it was some of the group that he had been in mutual observance of the last couple days. Some carrying bags of ... confetti?

Halberd wielder, sword guy, big guy this time with what looked to be an MG42, the "ticky" blindfolded fellow with a pistol. Several others carrying a variety of firearms including an RPK and other military weapons. Certainly explained the full-auto fire. A new one appeared ...

"Gotta' be the 'Dragon Lady'," he thought.

The young woman, bringing up the rear, seeing no one left behind, wearing a white beret and wielding an aluminum/stainless Beretta 92.

He watched as they disappeared around the far corner of Class B, waiting a few seconds before leaving concealment for a look down the way they had come. Curious as to what they were running from.

Rifle at the ready, he peered down the paved roadway over the bridge, making out a white, silvery 'emminence' approaching. The emminence slowly materialized into a petit apparition.

An apparition with quite deadly looking blades out the sleeves of her khaki blazer.

For Jack Duffy, everything had gone from Twilight Zone to simply bad science fiction.

"Next thing ya' know, she'll be deflecting bullets with those knives," he mused.

As the diminutive "specter" came near, Jack pushed in the safety and slowly set the Garand on the ground. Sidling away from the rifle, he held out his hands in a firm but peaceful gesture. He still had the .45 after all.

The blades slowly drew into the sleeves, 'force field' still on. Smart girl.

"Uh ... Ms. Tachibana?"

The white haired visage blinked once.

"Kanade? ... Are we ... still ... 'friends'?"

She gave a slow nod.

"Heard shooting ... came running. Wanna' tell me what it's about?"

"Some of the students," she paused, "are not ... cooperative."

With that, she slowly backed away a safe distance, turned, walking back the way she came.

"Same answer from before," he thought then asked aloud to no one in particular: "Just WHAT have I been sucked into?"

Some scraps of paper flitting in the breeze caught his eye. Picking a couple up, he examined.

"Meal tickets ... From the cafeteria ... What gives?"

Cradling the rifle, Duffy went back the way HE came, missing Shiina by a few feet. In semi-disbelief, she saw the whole thing. Yuri was definitely going to be MOST interested.

xxxxx

"He was actually talking to her?" Oyama stared amazed.

"Oh, yeah!" The leader exclaimed. "Noda and I hung back behind the corner of B, saw everything."

"Too bad we weren't close enough to hear," said Noda.

"Couldn't have been much as long as it took," Yuri continued. "Not like they were friends. More like an uneasy truce."

"Would be a help if we knew for sure," said Hinata.

"I'd say they're together!" Noda declared. "They didn't fight so they must be working with each other."

"May be ... ," Yuri speculated, "but maybe not ..."

"Maybe not."

A hush fell over the room. Someone had spoken but who? All eyes went to Shiinas' usual corner of the room and ... as no one had ever usually seen her leave or enter, everyone was surprised/not surprised seeing her there.

"I wasn't more than twenty feet away, saw and heard everything."

"What DID they say?" Inquired the leader.

"He acted real surprised, like he didn't expect her at all. Asked if they were still uh ... 'friends' but as if uncertain as to where they stood with each other. Angel was her usual impassive self."

Everyone in the room felt the import of what the ninja girl said. She was a young lady of very few words. In saying anything it had to be worthy of note.

"Said he heard shooting and came to look. Wanted to know what was going on."

"She SAY anything?"

"Only about us being ... um ... uncooperative."

A laugh or two emerged from the group but stopped as Shiina frowned.

"That's when you saw her leave."

"I say we get him!" Noda declared. "They gotta' be both in on it somehow."

The murmur running through the room was quelled when Yuri asked, "anything else Shiina?"

"I was going to attack if he was about to shoot anyone, but all he did was watch you go by." She focused on Yuri and Noda. "He seemed just as surprised to see you as you were of him. He was in an excellent position to cause you all grief but didn't."

"O ... Kay," Yuri started. "We've got an unknown quantity here. Someone who may or may not be an enemy. A foreigner ... with his own weapons and who knows what else ... Actions could be thought of as suspicious ..."

"Really no more suspicious than any of us when we arrived." All eyes on Takamatsu. "It's easy to imagine what he must be thinking."

"A foreigner?" Noda. "Come on!"

"Who knows WHAT they think," Fujimaki put in.

"Anti Christ! Superstar!" TK

"He may not be hostile," said Matsushita. "He DID try to talk to US first."

"Then he got ahold of Angel," Noda interrupted.

"Only because we were ordered-," the big guy nodded to Yuri, "-not to say anything ... and I pointed Angel out to him."

"You seemed a might impressed."

"No adult talked to me like I was one. You could say I was impressed."

"The fact of the matter is," said Hinata, "he TRIED to communicate first. Twice in fact. He did say he wanted to talk to you, Yuri."

"Not only did we shun him," Takamatsu interjected, "but we put the word out for everyone else to do the same. He knows someone, US, are watching him ... and now knows we're armed. If he isn't on anyones' side he soon will be ... Angels'. And the fault would be ours."

"Could be he already is," Fujimaki surmised.

"Explains how he got the gun." Noda.

"We've ... never known Angel to work with ANYONE," Oyama put in sitting next to the impatient Fujimaki, "and guns just aren't her thing."

"So," Yuri took on the air of conclusion. "We've got other things right now. We have to get most of the meal tickets to the Guild and pick up more ammo. We watch him one more day. If he tries to talk, be polite ... tell him ... we're about to get in touch with him. I'd like to- ... Fujimaki! ... Quit ranking on Oyama and pay attention!"

The swordsman stopped 'soft knuckling' Oyamas' head and removed his arm from around the unfortunates' neck.

"I'll have a talk with this Duffy-san the next 24 hours."

To be continued ...

* * *

Storyline and original characters (only) copyright © 5-1-14 C V Ford

Disclaimer: The preceding is a NON-PROFIT work of fan fiction for entertainment purposes only. I make no claim to ownership of the names/characters, places, & events mentioned in this work that are the intellectual properties of others. They are the sole properties of their respective owners. Please, by all means support the owners of such properties in the purchase & enjoyment of their works.


	8. Chapter 8

In Gods' Good Time

by

C V Ford

* * *

Chapter 8: Me and My Shadow

After last nights' soiree, Duffy was on heightned alert. All guns loaded now, even the .22s. As he went about his business of getting the lay of the land, he carried both Colts, full size in the waistband and the officers model in a cross draw shoulder holster. An M3 fighting knife rounded out the ensemble. Though outwardly, his school provided work coveralls concealing, he didn't look any different, he felt he 'clanked' as he walked.

He got busy the moment he got "home" the night before, feeling a little more secure in the knowledge that if anyone broke into the apartment while away, he/she would pay. Two old small game leghold traps and the hastily made nailboards under the windows would cause more than discomfort.

Duffy now noted wherever he went, the 'off' uniforms were more evident. When one wasn't in sight he was sure one of the non-member 'sentients' was pulling observation duty. Easy enough to spot, they acted cognizant of him but now were not so skittish. Some even smiled at him. Something was up!

He also had this nagging feeling of something ... someone ... close by, unseen, watching. Only a vague feeling the couple days past but since last night, much stronger. The source of that feeling stayed as close by as possible. From a window, behind objects, in the brush/trees, Shiina did her shadow to his substance.

He was to start work in a couple days and decided to get on with the task of familiarizing himself with the campus and his duties. As good an excuse as any and looked, to him, less suspicuous in his comings and goings about the grounds.

Would they make a move on him? If so ... when?

"Maybe I should make a move on them ... one last chance at communication ..."

His two previous attempts had been shrugged off. The non-Battlefront 'sentients' also had been making an active effort to avoid him. As if everyone was ordered not to have anything to do with him. It was then he decided.

"If the molehill won't come to Mohammed ..."

He was reluctant to try the principals' former office. Considering the last time, he felt it not a good idea just waltzing in to what he knew to be the nerve center of the Battlefront.

The opportunity for contact came sooner than expected and on the spur of the moment, he took it.

It was just after 10 AM, over two hours after he left his apartment. Heading 'south' past the west end of Class A, he rounded the corner and spotted her by the main entrance. The yellow haired head set kid ... by herself, her back to him, talking in those even tones of hers. If Jack was within hearing distance, he would have known steps were being taken to contact him. As it was, he didn't have the handheld scanner along as it might "tip his hand" letting them know he could monitor Battlefront communications, thus, "out of touch".

xxxxx

Scalp iritated and itching at the moment, Yusa had removed the headset. Rubbing an ear, she held the set freehand. In her concentration talking with Yuri, she didn't notice the foreigner had espied her from the southwest corner of class A.

xxxxx

He decided to walk right up to her and "borrow" the phones. More than likely she was conversing with Ms. Nakamura and he could have a direct talk. This mincing/dancing around would be at an end.

The man glanced back the way he came and froze. The shadow of the first tier of Class A had an extra detail from the morning sun ... Of someone crouched behind the corner. The source of that uneasy feeling revealed at last.

Duffy immediately reversed himself back up the steps, sticking close to the building. The shadows' source froze. His observer was on to him. As the shadow made a move as if about to take off, Jack made his. This one had taken great pains not to be seen and he had to have a look.

Dashing to the corner, he swung wide to avoid attack. All he got was a glimpse of the trademark blue pleated skirt of the tri-S diving into a window of the second tier. The kid had to be incredibly fast for him to only make that out. Seeing his "tail" was shaken, Jack ran back down the steps to the front of the building.

xxxxx

Shiina somersaulted onto the floor, momentarily startling a teacher and her morning math class. Vaulting to her feet, she ran out the door and down the hall, accompanied by shouts from teacher and students alike. Having shaken off pursuit and not one to give up easily, she was determined to pick up the stalk again. If only the order was eliminate and not observe/evade ... She knew she could make quick work of this guy.

She'd been momentarily careless and knew it, having the sun 'outline' her like that. She blasted out the front of second tier and into the back of first.

xxxxx

There she was, still yakking away and with her back to him. Excellent! Duffy slowed to a fast walk on approach.

xxxxx

He was right next to her! Reaching out! Yusa was about to be assaulted and the ninja wasn't going to get there in time ... all the same ... Shiina rushed past other students drawing out her blades. KILL TIME!

xxxxx

Feeling a tap on her left shoulder, Yusa turned with a quick gasp.

"Excuse me hon," Jack holding up his left index finger, distracting her as he deftly plucked the phones from her hand with his right, "thank you ..."

xxxxx

Seeing the blonde OK, Shiina hit the brakes, ducking behind the jamb to the main doors

xxxxx

Momentarily paralyzed with surprise, Yusa stood stock still, mouth open. Only her hand moved as she reached into a concealed skirt pocket. The scissors felt comforting.

Holding the headset to his ear, Duffy noted the young ladys' pocketing motion. Doing a slide step cautiously away, he pressed the transmit button, starting a conversation of his own.

"Uh ... hello?'

Yuri bolted up from her chair at the sound of the unfamiliar voice.

"Uh ... hello yourself."

"Ms. Nakamura is it?"

"Ye ... sss. I assume this is Duffy-san."

"Yes. The creepy old white guy you've had under surveillance for awhile-"

"Before we go any further, Yusa had better be all right, if you-"

"Oh she's fine, didn't hurt her. Just a little surprised is all." He held the phone/mic toward Yusa. "Say hi, hon."

"Uh ... hi hon ..."

"Cute ... Yeah she's OK," Jack concluded. "In fact we're walking to the corner of Class A so you can see she's all right. I assume you're in the old principals' office?"

"Yeah, I see you," the Front leader replied as the two came into view.

"This is to show I'm only holding her phones hostage. She's rather reluctant to leave 'em with me ... kinda' lost without 'em." Looking up at the third floor window he could make nothing out. Morning sun this time giving it a mirror-like gleam.

"We were about to get in touch with you."

"Didn't know that, couldn't wait."

"So," Yuri began, "you must be just as anxious to talk as we are if not more so?"

"Just want to lay all the cards on the table."

"You can come on up right now."

"I was thinking of a more neutral setting," Duffy said. "Is the cafeteria all right with you ... about noon?"

Yuri could see he was playing it cagey as he had every right to. She also saw nothing wrong with the idea of a cafeteria meeting.

"Just you and I?"

"Also your spotter here ... Though ... there is someone else you could bring along."

"Oh?'

"I know of course, I'm being watched. While most of you I've seen (Easily enough!), I have a feeling someone else has been observing me a lot closer and more than regularly. Could you get her out in the open? Sign of good faith 'n all?"

Yuri smiled to herself. If Shiina was any good, which she was, she'd be near enough. Still, how'd he know it was a woman?

"Hand Yusa the phones. Need to talk to her a moment."

Duffy relinquished the headset.

"ARE you OKay Yusa? Didn't hurt you or anything?"

"I'm fine. Just a bit surprised is all."

"So she cares about her people," Jack exclaimed to himself. "Good ... It means I'm not dealing with a bunch of callous jerks."

"That's good to hear," Yuri sighed with relief. "Okay ... Shiina is probably near. Go ahead and call out to her ... Tell her to show herself."

Looking about, Yusa complied, raising her voice.

"OKay ... Shiina? ... Yuri says for you to go ahead and show yourself. It's alright. He just wants a look at who's riding him."

Jacks' thoughts ran in the range of, "What the ... HOLY!-," as he turned abruptly.

Just to his left, but a foot away, stood a more than slightly sinister looking girl glaring up at him. The black 'scarf' and arm guards only adding to the image.

He didn't see OR hear her approach.

She was just ... there.

"So that's my shadow," he thought. "Dang! Kid's good ... coulda' cut my throat before I knew it."

On Yuris' instruction Yusa handed the phones back to Duffy.

"I take it you want me to bring her along then?"

"Yes ... I'd feel better if she was in plain sight."

"Noon then. Cafeteria."

"Noon it is," he replied.

Handing Yusas' headset back, he did a slight bow noting the look of hostility on Shiinas' face.

Looking at Yusa, he said, "From where I stood, I thought something had to be done. I didn't mean to startle you or cause any bad feelings and I hope you'll forgive me.

"Ladies," he concluded and set off for his apartment.

Preparations to be done.

To be continued ...

xxxxx

Storyline and original characters (only) copyright © 5-1-14 C V Ford

Disclaimer: The preceding is a NON-PROFIT work of fan fiction for entertainment purposes only. I make no claim to ownership of the names/characters, places, & events mentioned in this work that are the intellectual properties of others. They are the sole properties of their respective owners. Please, by all means support the owners of such properties in the purchase & enjoyment of their works.


End file.
